Controller to control an apparatus, printing device, and method for operating such a controller

ABSTRACT

A controller to control an apparatus (e.g. a printer) can include multiple secondary sub-controllers and a main sub-controller. Each of the secondary sub-controllers can have an operator process and one or more executable control processes. Each of the control processes can be configured to exchange data with one or more other of the control processes. The main sub-controller can be communicatively coupled to the secondary sub-controllers via a data network. Each of the main and secondary sub-controllers can include at least one processor and an operating system. The respective operator processes can be configured to communicate via the data network, and the control processes of each of the secondary sub-controllers can be configured such that the control processes communicate exclusively with the operator process of their respective secondary sub-controller to communicate via the data network.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to German Patent Application No.102016122766.8, filed Nov. 25, 2016, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to controller configured to control anapparatus. The controller can include multiple sub-controllers which areconnected via a data network. The present disclosure also relates to aprinting device having such a controller and a method for operating sucha controller.

Systems exist for the administration of data on distributed hardwareplatforms which comprise multiple modules. Examples of these are CORBA(Common Object Request Broker Architecture) or SMMP. With CORBA,platform-spanning protocols and services are defined so that aplatform-spanning data exchange is possible. An important CORBA serviceis the naming service, which enables server objects to be addressed bymeans of an established name. It is common to these known systems thatthe resolution of the object references via object names is separatefrom the transport of the data. For example, object names are herebyassociated with specific processes and the data administered by them atthe individual modules, with which object names a connection betweenthese processes may be established by means of the naming services sothat these processes exchange data directly with one another.

Given use of these systems in a controller having multiple modules, amain module and multiple sub-modules are often provided. In suchsystems, a communication process that implements the communication withthe individual processes and sub-modules is executed in the main module.If the processes of the sub-modules should exchange data in such asystem, the individual processes then send the data to the communicationprocess of the main module, and thus then relays the data to therespective process of a sub-module that should receive the data.

In DE 10 2005 062 576 B4, a controller is described which is designedfor printing devices and has a parallel data bus that is connected withmultiple assemblies. The assemblies additionally have an interface to aserial data communication for serial transfer of data. Larger data setsare transferred via the serial data connection, where the structure ofthe serial data connection occurs using the parallel data bus and aswitching matrix.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a partof the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the presentdisclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explainthe principles of the embodiments and to enable a person skilled in thepertinent art to make and use the embodiments.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a printing device having acontroller, and a main sub-controller and two secondary sub-controllerswith a data network, according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure, and

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a controller having a mainsub-controller and two secondary sub-controllers according to anexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth inorder to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of thepresent disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that the embodiments, including structures, systems, and methods,may be practiced without these specific details. The description andrepresentation herein are the common means used by those experienced orskilled in the art to most effectively convey the substance of theirwork to others skilled in the art. In other instances, well-knownmethods, procedures, components, and circuitry have not been describedin detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring embodiments of thedisclosure.

The present disclosure relates to a controller configured to control anapparatus. The controller can include multiple sub-controllers which areconnected via a data network, as well as a printing device having such acontroller. The disclosure also relates to a method for operating such acontroller, which, in a simple manner, allow a more efficient datatransfer than the aforementioned systems, and in addition can beimplemented simply and executed reliably.

A controller according to the present disclosure configured to controlan apparatus. The controller can include multiple sub-controllers whichare connected via a data network. In an exemplary embodiment, eachsub-controller includes at least one processor and an operating system.In an exemplary embodiment, one of the sub-controllers is configured asa main sub-controller and the other sub-controllers are configured assecondary sub-controllers. In operation, one or more control processeswhich may exchange data with other control processes are stored andexecutable at each—secondary sub-controller. In this example, eachsecondary sub-controller has an operator process which is configured tocommunicate via the data network, and the control processes of eachsecondary sub-controller are configured such that they communicateexclusively with the one operator process of their secondarysub-controller for communication via the data network.

In conventional systems, names are associated with the individualprocesses so that processes of different modules may communicatedirectly with one another. In one or more embodiments of the presentdisclosure, each secondary sub-controller has an operator process viawhich the control process or processes of the respective secondarysub-controller communicate with the data network. The present disclosurehereby provides an additional process, the operator process. In anexemplary embodiment, the operator process is a single process of therespective secondary sub-controller that the “infrastructure” must keepready for communication with the data network. If data is transferredvia the data network (e.g. according to the TCP protocol), then eachprocess that communicates with the data network must provide its ownstack and its own instruction pointer. One or more ports are assigned tothis process. The more processes of a sub-controller that are coupled tothe data network, the greater the consumption of resources, and the morecomplex the association of the processes with one another. This isavoided with the present disclosure.

In one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, even ifan additional process is necessary relative to the aforementionedsystems with the operator process, the complexity of the entirecommunication structure is significantly reduced since each secondarysub-controller can include only a single operator process forcommunication of the control processes.

In an exemplary embodiment, the operator process is configured tocommunicate with the individual control processes of the respectivesecondary sub-controller. In an exemplary embodiment, this communicationcan be controlled by the operating system. In an exemplary embodiment,operating systems in which multiple processes can be executedsimultaneously in an operating system environment possess functionsconfigured to exchange data between the individual processes. Inoperation, the data exchange between individual processes within anoperating system normally occurs significantly more quickly than theexchange of corresponding amounts of data via a data network. Theexchange of data between two processes of an operating systemenvironment is typically at least multiple time times faster (e.g. 100times faster) than the exchange of corresponding amounts of data via adata network. The additional communication between the operator processand the individual control processes of the respective secondarysub-controller is therefore not an appreciable delay in the total timethat is necessary for transferring data between two control processes ofdifferent secondary sub-controllers.

In an exemplary embodiment, the main sub-controller includes a mediatorprocess that is configured such that the mediator process mediates (e.g.manages or otherwise controls) the exchange of data between two controlprocesses of two different secondary sub-controllers such that the twocontrol processes of the different secondary sub-controllersrespectively exchange data directly via the operator processes of therespective secondary sub-controllers, without additional interpositionof the main sub-controller.

In an exemplary embodiment, upon establishment of a data connectionbetween two control processes of two different secondarysub-controllers, the corresponding operator processes of these secondarysub-controllers are connected with one another using the mediatorprocess. In this example, the two operator processes then communicatedirectly with one another (using the mediator process). In an exemplaryembodiment, the operator processes thus combine a one or more functionsof naming services with one or more functions of a router. In anexemplary embodiment, the operator processes can be identified andconnected by the mediator process with an individual address or anindividual name or identifier (function of the naming service), and theythen simultaneously execute the data transfer via the data network(router function).

Given conventional controllers in which control processes of differentcontrol modules are connected using a main module, the communicationnormally takes place using a communication process provided at the mainsub-controller. The communication process may receive data fromdifferent control processes of the different sub-modules and maytransmit data to these sub-modules. For transmission of data from onecontrol process to another control process, a first data transfer herebyinitially takes place from the sending control process to thecommunication process of the main module, and then a second datatransfer takes place from the communication process of the main moduleto the other, receiving control process. The data network is herebyloaded twice with the same data set, whereby the transfer of the datatakes place significantly more slowly compared to the controlleraccording to one or more exemplary embodiments of the presentdisclosure, in which the operator processes of different secondarysub-controllers communicate directly with one another via the datanetwork.

In an exemplary embodiment, the mediator process may be configured suchthat, given a mediation request of an operator process of a firstsecondary sub-controller, a port address or another identificationinformation (for example an identifier) of a second secondarysub-controller is assigned with which the operator process of the firstsecondary sub-controller may transmit data to the operator process ofthe second secondary sub-controller.

In an exemplary embodiment, the operating system of the secondarysub-controllers is configured to control the communication between thecontrol processes and the operator process of the respective secondarysub-controller. In this example, the communication may take place usinga memory mapping. Such a communication within an operating system isvery fast. This applies, in particular to memory mapping, in which largedata sets may be passed from one process to another process with a fewsmall processor instructions. The communication of the control processeswithin a secondary sub-controller may be configured as a mailbox system.

In an exemplary embodiment, the data network for transferring data maybe designed according to the TCP protocol, but is not limited theretoand can be configured for one or more other communication protocols inaddition to, or as an alternative to, the TCP protocol.

In an exemplary embodiment, only the respective one operator process ofeach secondary sub-controller has and executes a TCP server and a TCPclient, and the control processes of the respective secondarysub-controller are configured without a TCP server and a TCP client.

In an exemplary embodiment, one or more (or each) secondarysub-controller includes only a single operator process, or only a singleprocess that includes the necessary infrastructure (e.g. communicationtransceiver) for communication with the data network.

In an exemplary embodiment, the data network may be configured accordingto the Ethernet standard, a standard according to SDLC, ProfiBus orArcnet, or one or more other communication standards as would beunderstood by one of ordinary skill in the relevant arts.

In an exemplary embodiment, one or more (or each) control process is aninstance of a corresponding control program at the secondarysub-controller which includes its own address space. Processes maynormally run in pseudo-parallel and use a communication system tosynchronize their tasks.

According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a printingdevice (e.g. printer) is provided for printing to a recording medium.The printing device can include multiple print groups configured toapply a respective predetermined print color onto the recording medium.The printing device can include a controller, such as the controlleraccording to one or more of the exemplary embodiments described herein.The controller can include a main sub-controller and respectivesecondary sub-controllers associated with each print group to controlthe respective print group.

With a controller according to one or more exemplary embodiments, theindividual print groups and other stations of the printer may be simplyand cost-effectively connected with a data network, and a plurality ofsuch components and stations may be reliably controlled. In an exemplaryembodiment, all data (control commands, parameters etc.) for controllingthe individual print groups and stations of the printing device aretransferred via this data network. In an exemplary embodiment, the datanetwork does not transfer print data. In this example, separate dataconnections (e.g. serial data connections and/or data connections withoptical waveguides) which are independent of the data network forcontrolling the individual print groups and stations in the printingdevice, are used to transfer the print data.

In an exemplary embodiment, the printer may have a log station whichregularly receives parameters from multiple components of the printingdevice, for example print groups. The log station can be configured toarchive these parameters. The data to be archived can be designated aslog data. Given large printing apparatuses with multiple print groups, afixing station and additional workstations (e.g. a rastering station, acolor management station or the like), the log data may have asignificant data volume in the data network. In an exemplary embodiment,the controller is configured such that the operator processes connectedwith one another communicate directly via the data network without themain sub-controller being interposed. This significantly facilitates thetransfer of all log data and the necessary control data. For example,the log data may include at least 500 data sets per second, at least1000 data sets per second, or at least 5000 data sets per second, but isnot limited thereto. These data sets normally have a data volume of notmore than, for example, 1.5 Kbytes. The data sets on average include adata volume of, for example, approximately 100 bytes to 300 bytes.

Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a method for operating acontroller configured to control an apparatus (e.g. printer). In anexemplary embodiment, the controller can include multiplesub-controllers which are connected via a data network, and eachsub-controller includes at least one processor and an operating system.In an exemplary embodiment, one of the sub-controllers is configured asa main sub-controller and the other sub-controller(s) are configured assecondary sub-controllers. In this arrangement, one or more controlprocesses which exchange data with other control processes can beexecuted at each secondary sub-controller. In a method according to anexemplary embodiment, the control processes of each secondarysub-controller communicate exclusively with an operator process of theirsecondary sub-controller via the data network.

In an exemplary embodiment, the control processes of one or moresecondary sub-controller communicate exclusively with the operatorprocess of the one or more secondary sub-controller. For example, thecontrol processes of each secondary sub-controller communicateexclusively with the operator process of each secondary sub-controller.As a result, a simple communication structure is achieved which can beimplemented simply and executed reliably in a complex system.

In an exemplary embodiment, in addition to their function as a componentof the controller, the secondary sub-controllers may in principle alsohave other functions and include processes independent of the mainsub-controller (and/or other controller components), which processes mayalso access the data network. However, the secondary sub-controllers canbe configured so that the secondary sub-controllers include only theoperator process and the control processes belonging to the controller(or main sub-controller), in addition to the operating system processesnecessary for operation of the secondary sub-controllers.

In an exemplary embodiment, the method may include the exchange of databetween two control processes of two different secondary sub-controllersin that a mediator process of the main sub-controller initially connectsthe corresponding secondary sub-controllers or their operator processessuch that the two control processes of the secondary sub-controllersrespectively exchange data directly via the operator processes of therespective secondary sub-controllers, without additional interpositionof the main sub-controller. Only the operator processes herebycommunicate with the data network, and not the control processes, whichtransfer their data via the data network by means of the operatorprocesses.

FIG. 1 illustrates a printing device (printer) 1 including a controlleraccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Theprinting device 1 can include an unrolling station 2, four print groups3-6, a fixing station 7, a roll-up station 8, a rastering station 9 anda color management station 10. A roll 11 with a recording medium may beprovided at the unrolling station 2. The recording medium is typically aband-shaped paper. From the unrolling station 2, a recording medium web12 extends through the print groups 3-6 and the fixing station 7 up tothe roll-up station 8. Located in the roll-up station 8 is an additionalroll 13 for rolling up the printed recording medium.

The rastering station 9 is connected with a print server 15 via a dataline 14. The print server has a connection to a LAN, a WAN, or to theInternet 16, and is connected with computers at which print jobs aregenerated, which print jobs are then transmitted to the print server 15.The print server 15 relays the print jobs, or print data extracted fromthe print jobs, to the rastering station 9, in which the print data arerastered according to the requirements of the print groups 3-6.Depending on the type of print head, there are different types ofrastering. The print data may be rastered in a binary raster pattern.The print data can be rastered in a multi-level raster pattern, which,for example, may be used in inkjet print groups or liquid toner printgroups. The rastering station 9 is connected via serial high-speed datalines 17 with the respective print groups 3-6 in order to determine arastered color separation at the respective print groups, with whichcolor separation the print group may be controlled directly.

The color management station 10 is configured to supply the individualprint groups 3-6 with the respective color. Such a color managementstation 10 is primarily appropriate in printing devices which operatewith liquid toner.

In an exemplary embodiment, the printing device (printer) 1 includes acontroller 26 having a main sub-controller 18, or a central controller18 and one or more secondary sub-controllers which are connected withthe main sub-controller 18 via a data network 20. In an exemplaryembodiment, the controller 26 includes a main sub-controller 18 and twoor more secondary sub-controllers 19. In an exemplary embodiment, thecontroller 26 includes processor circuitry that is configured to performone or more functions and/or operations of the controller 26. In thisexample, the sub-controller 18 and/or the sub-controller 19 can includeprocessor circuitry that is configured to perform one or more functionsand/or operations of the sub-controllers 18, 19.

In an exemplary embodiment, each print group 3-6 and each workstation 2,7-10 of the printing device 1 are provided with a secondarysub-controller 19, which is configured to receive data from the printgroups 3-6 and/or workstations 2, 7-10, and/or transmit control data tothe print groups 3-6 and/or workstations 2, 7-10 with a digital and/oranalog interface. The secondary sub-controllers 19 may also be directlyprovided or connected with sensors which gather corresponding data atthe print groups 3-6 and/or workstations 2, 7-10. Embodiments are notlimited to each print group 3-6 and/or each workstation 2, 7-10 having acorresponding secondary sub-controller 19, and one or more of thesecomponents can be implemented without a secondary sub-controller 19.

In an exemplary embodiment, the printing device 1 furthermore includes alog station 21 which is coupled to the data network 20. In an exemplaryembodiment, the log station 21 includes processor circuitry that isconfigured to perform one or more functions and/or operations of the logstation 21 (e.g. gather and maintain information, such as one of morelogs).

As illustrated in FIG. 2, in an exemplary embodiment, a mediator process22 is stored and executable in the main sub-controller 18. A respectiveoperator process 23 is stored and executable in the secondarysub-controllers 19. Furthermore, at least one control process 24 isstored and executable in the secondary sub-controllers 19. In anexemplary embodiment, the control process 24 contains the functionalityto control the print groups 3-6 or the workstations 2, 7-10. Thesefunctionalities include the acquisition of measurement data orparameters, transmission or execution of control commands, and/ortransmission of control data to the respective print groups 3-6 orworkstations 2, 7-10.

In an exemplary embodiment, the control processes 24 of a secondarysub-controller 19 may be configured to communicate among one another andwith the operator process 23 of the respective secondary sub-controller.In an exemplary embodiment, the control processes 24 are configured suchthat they cannot directly access the data network 20 and cannot senddata or receive data from the data network 20. In an exemplaryembodiment, the operator process 23 of the respective secondarysub-controller 19 is exclusively connected to the data network 20 andmay receive data from and/or transmit data via the data network 20.

In an exemplary embodiment, the communication between the processes of asecondary sub-controller is controlled by the respective operatingsystem of the secondary sub-controller 19. The communication between theprocesses can take place using, for example, a mailbox system. In thisexample, the memory ranges may be mapped. Large data sets may hereby beexchanged very quickly between individual processes within a secondarysub-controller.

In an exemplary embodiment, the data network 20 is an Ethernet networkthat realizes the data communication according to the TCP protocol, butis not limited to these protocols and/or standards. In an exemplaryembodiment, the operator processes 23 therefore respectively can includea TCO server to transmit data via the data network 20 and a TCP clientto receive data from the data network 20. Furthermore, in an exemplaryembodiment, only the operator processes 23 of the respective secondarysub-controllers have the additional necessary infrastructure forcommunication with the data network 20. The data network 20 can be awired and/or wireless network.

In the following, an exemplary operation of the controller 26 isdescribed.

In an exemplary embodiment, at a first secondary sub-controller 19/1, afirst control process 24/1 at the operator process 23/1 of the firstcontrol sub-controller 19/1 queries which additional control process ofthe controller has a specific control datum. Via the data network 20,the operator process 23/1 queries in the mediator process 22 of the mainsub-controller 18 as to which control process has this control datum.The mediator process 22 queries the operator processes 23 of theadditional secondary sub-controllers 19 as to whether their controlprocesses 24 have the control datum. The operator processes 23 query therespective control processes 24 as to whether they have thecorresponding control datum.

In an exemplary embodiment, from a second operator process 23/2 of asecond secondary sub-controller 19/2, the mediator process 22 receivesthe response that a second control process 24/2 of the second controlsub-controller 19/2 has this control datum, after the control process24/2 has communicated this to the operator process 23/2. The mediatorprocess 22 at the first operator process 23/1 hereupon communicatesinformation to the second control process 24/2 that this contains thecontrol datum. This information can also include connection informationfor the second operator process 23/2. This connection information maybe, for example, an address in the data network (e.g. IP address) or anidentifier assigned to the respective operator process 23. With thisconnection information, the first operator process 23/1 establishes adirect connection 25 (e.g. direct communicative coupling) to the secondoperator process 23/2 via the data network 20 in order to request thecontrol datum of the second control process 24/2. The control datum isthen requested by the second operator process 23/2 of the second controlprocess 24/2 and then is transmitted via the data network from theoperator process 23/2 to the first operator process 23/1. This forwardsthe control datum to the first control process 24/1.

This method of operation is advantageous, in particular, when thecontrol datum includes not a single data value but rather an extensivedata set. This control datum may then be transferred directly from oneoperator process 23 to another operator process 23, wherein the fullmediator functionality of the mediator process 22 is available as it isknown from previous systems. In an exemplary embodiment, in a datanetwork, different communication systems may be combined with oneanother. Given a pure network communication, a process is identified byits IP address and/or protocol number. Given a QNX queue, a process ID(pid) is used together with a channel ID. A name may be associated atthe operating system layer.

In an exemplary embodiment, in such a communication system, a mediatorprocess or multiple hierarchically arranged mediator processes may beused to mediate/manage an exchange of data between two processes.

Given a system with hierarchical mediator processes, a subordinatemediator process can register with the respective superordinate mediatorprocess as soon as it is active. This system of mediator processesallows a dynamic association of the identifiers. In the event that acorresponding mediator process, or the sub-controller that has thismediator process, is not active, a communication with this mediatorprocess cannot be connected. In such an instance, a superordinatemediator process refuses the communication request.

In an exemplary embodiment, so that the communication may be executedsmoothly in such a data network, the mediator process 22 can include thefull mediator functionality with which it may resolve an identifiertransmitted to it by a process. For this, the mediator process 22 isasked whether it knows an identifier of a datum. For this, the mediatorprocess 22 can receive this identifier as text. Name particles whichdesignate connections can be known to the mediator process. These nameparticles are contained in the identifier that is transmitted to it.Such name particles are, for example, “PQ1”, “PQ2” and “LQ” for thefirst print group 3, the second print group 4 and the color managementstation 10.

In an exemplary embodiment, if the mediator process 22 is asked for theidentifier of a datum, for example “LQ.LqMain.Temperature”, the mediatorprocess 22 knows that it must relay the request to the color managementstation 10 that is designated by the name particle “LQ”. Since it knowsa corresponding connection, the mediator process 22 executes this. Thiscolor management station 10 in turn has a mediator process which mayassociate the name particle “LqMain” with a local process. The process“LqMain” knows its datum “Temperature” and responds affirmatively. Thechain from requesting process to the datum is therefore known. In orderto query a datum, the operator process initially uses the mediatorprocess 22 which relays the connection to an additional mediator processor to a process that has the datum. In conventional methods, theaddressed process replies again on the same route. In the methodaccording to the present disclosure, the data transfer takes placedirectly to the respective operator process. In addition to the mediatorprocess 22, additional mediator processes that are subordinate to themediator process 22 of the main sub-controller 18 may be involved in theestablishment of the connection.

The method according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentdisclosure may be configured such that, after the connection (e.g.communicative coupling) has been established by the mediator process 22,the operator processes 23 communicate directly, or respectivelycommunicate via a mediator process arranged immediately above theseoperator processes 23 in the hierarchy. The mediator process 22 of themain sub-controller 18, or additional interposed mediator processes thatare implemented within the connection, are omitted given the directcommunication between the operator processes 23. Furthermore, a dataconnection that is generated once for the transfer of a specific controldatum may be used repeatedly between two operator processes 23 since theoperator processes 23 store the reference of the control datum and ofthe data connection (connection information of the operator process orcorresponding control process) and reuse it given a new request, withoutquerying the mediator process.

The exemplary method has the following advantages:

-   -   Only a single data transfer via the data network is required to        transfer the data from one control process to another control        process.    -   Only the operator process 23 must hold the necessary        infrastructure for the data communication via the data network.        This on the one hand simplifies the communication structure, and        on the other hand reduces the resource expenditure in the        secondary sub-controllers in comparison to a system in which        multiple control processes may access the data network.

Conclusion

The aforementioned description of the specific embodiments will so fullyreveal the general nature of the disclosure that others can, by applyingknowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/or adapt forvarious applications such specific embodiments, without undueexperimentation, and without departing from the general concept of thepresent disclosure. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications areintended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of thedisclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presentedherein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminologyherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, suchthat the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is tobe interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings andguidance.

References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,”“an exemplary embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment describedmay include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, butevery embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature,structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarilyreferring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature,structure, or characteristic is described in connection with anembodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of oneskilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristicin connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitlydescribed.

The exemplary embodiments described herein are provided for illustrativepurposes, and are not limiting. Other exemplary embodiments arepossible, and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments.Therefore, the specification is not meant to limit the disclosure.Rather, the scope of the disclosure is defined only in accordance withthe following claims and their equivalents.

Embodiments may be implemented in hardware (e.g., circuits), firmware,software, or any combination thereof. Embodiments may also beimplemented as instructions stored on a machine-readable medium, whichmay be read and executed by one or more processors. A machine-readablemedium may include any mechanism for storing or transmitting informationin a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, amachine-readable medium may include read only memory (ROM); randomaccess memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media;flash memory devices; electrical, optical, acoustical or other forms ofpropagated signals (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digitalsignals, etc.), and others. Further, firmware, software, routines,instructions may be described herein as performing certain actions.However, it should be appreciated that such descriptions are merely forconvenience and that such actions in fact results from computingdevices, processors, controllers, or other devices executing thefirmware, software, routines, instructions, etc. Further, any of theimplementation variations may be carried out by a general purposecomputer.

For the purposes of this discussion, “processor circuitry” can includeone or more circuits, one or more processors, logic, or a combinationthereof. For example, a circuit can include an analog circuit, a digitalcircuit, state machine logic, other structural electronic hardware, or acombination thereof. A processor can include a microprocessor, a digitalsignal processor (DSP), or other hardware processor. In one or moreexemplary embodiments, the processor can include a memory, and theprocessor can be “hard-coded” with instructions to perform correspondingfunction(s) according to embodiments described herein. In theseexamples, the hard-coded instructions can be stored on the memory.Alternatively or additionally, the processor can access an internaland/or external memory to retrieve instructions stored in the internaland/or external memory, which when executed by the processor, performthe corresponding function(s) associated with the processor, and/or oneor more functions and/or operations related to the operation of acomponent having the processor included therein.

In one or more of the exemplary embodiments described herein, the memorycan be any well-known volatile and/or non-volatile memory, including,for example, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flashmemory, a magnetic storage media, an optical disc, erasable programmableread only memory (EPROM), and programmable read only memory (PROM). Thememory can be non-removable, removable, or a combination of both.

REFERENCE LIST

-   1 printing device (e.g. printer)-   2 unrolling station-   3 print group-   4 print group-   5 print group-   6 print group-   7 fixing station-   8 roll-up station-   9 rastering station-   10 color management station-   11 roll-   12 recording medium web-   13 roll-   14 data line-   15 print server-   16 Internet-   17 serial data line-   18 main sub-controller-   19 secondary sub-controller-   20 data network-   21 log station-   22 mediator process-   23 operator process-   24 control process-   25 direct connection-   26 controller (that includes the sub-controllers 18, 19)

1. A controller to control an apparatus, comprising: multiple secondary sub-controllers, each including an operator process and one or more executable control processes, each of the control processes being configured to exchange data with one or more other of the control processes; and a main sub-controller communicatively coupled to the secondary sub-controllers via a data network, each of the main and secondary sub-controllers including at least one processor and an operating system, wherein the respective operator processes are configured to communicate via the data network, the control processes of each of the secondary sub-controllers being configured such that the control processes communicate exclusively with the operator process of their respective secondary sub-controller to communicate via the data network.
 2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein: the main sub-controller further comprises a mediator process that is configured such that, upon an exchange of data between two control processes of two different secondary sub-controllers of the multiple secondary sub-controllers, the mediator process is mediates the exchange of data such that the two control processes of the different secondary sub-controllers respectively exchange data directly, without additional interposition of the main sub-controller, via the operator processes of the respective two different secondary sub-controllers.
 3. The controller according to claim 2, wherein: the mediator process is configured such that, given a mediation request of an operator process of a first of the multiple secondary sub-controllers, a connection information is assigned to a second of the multiple secondary sub-controllers, and the operator process of the first secondary sub-controller being configured to transmit data to the operator process of the second secondary sub-controller using the connection information of the operator process of the first secondary sub-controller.
 4. The controller according to claim 3, wherein the connection information comprises a port address or an identifier.
 5. The controller according to claim 1, wherein: the respective operating system of the secondary sub-controller is configured to control the communication between the one or more respective control processes and the operator process of the secondary sub-controller, and the communication between the one or more respective control processes and the operator process takes place using a memory mapping.
 6. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the data network is configured to transfer the data according to the TCP protocol.
 7. The controller according to claim 6, wherein only the operator process of each secondary sub-controller executes a TCP server and a TCP client.
 8. The controller according to claim 1, wherein each secondary sub-controller comprises only a single operator process.
 9. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the data network is configured according to the Ethernet standard or a standard according to SDLC, ProfiBus or Arcnet.
 10. The controller according to claim 1, wherein each control process is an instance of a corresponding control program at the secondary sub-controller and comprises its own address space.
 11. A printer configured to print to a recording medium, comprising: multiple print groups configured to apply a respective predetermined print color onto the recording medium; and a controller according to claim 1, wherein each of the multiple print groups includes a secondary sub-controller of the multiple secondary sub-controllers.
 12. The printer according to claim 11, further comprising a log station that is configured to: regularly receive parameters from multiple components of the printing device, the multiple components including the multiple print groups, and archive the received parameters.
 13. A method for operation of a controller to control an apparatus, the controller including multiple sub-controllers connected via a data network, wherein each sub-controller includes at least one processor and an operating system, one of the sub-controllers being configured as a main sub-controller and the other sub-controllers being configured as secondary sub-controllers, the method comprising: exchanging data between one or more control processes of one of the secondary sub-controllers with one or more other control processes, the control processing being executable at each of the secondary sub-controller; and communicating via the data network, by the control processes of each of the secondary sub-controllers, exclusively using a respective operator process of each of the secondary sub-controllers.
 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the communicating comprises: communicatively coupling two of the secondary sub-controllers together using a mediator process of the main sub-controller; and directly exchanging data between two control processes of the coupled secondary sub-controllers via the operator processes of the respective coupled secondary sub-controllers without direct interposition of the main sub-controller. 